Busbar for elctronic motor and method for desiging the same

Abstract

A motor includes: a stator assembly; and a rotor assembly configured to be rotatable relative to the stator assembly. The stator assembly includes: a stator core having stator slots; a winding arrangement made up of windings, the winding arrangement including a non-exposed portion where a portion of the each of the windings is inserted within respective ones of the stator slots and an exposed portion where a top-most end of each of the windings extends outward from the stator core; and a busbar including at least one jumper that electrically connects one or more of the windings to one another, the busbar being installed onto the winding arrangement without covering the top-most end of each of the windings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motor comprising:
 a stator assembly; and   a rotor assembly configured to be rotatable relative to the stator assembly,   wherein the stator assembly comprises:
 a stator core having stator slots; 
 a winding arrangement made up of windings, the winding arrangement comprising a non-exposed portion where a portion of the each of the windings is inserted within respective ones of the stator slots and an exposed portion where a top-most end of each of the windings extends outward from the stator core; and 
 a busbar comprising at least one jumper that electrically connects one or more of the windings to one another, the busbar being installed onto the winding arrangement without covering the top-most end of each of the windings. 
   
     
     
         2 . The motor of  claim 1 , wherein the windings are arranged in a hairpin configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The motor of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed portion of the winding arrangement contributes to a height of the motor, and the busbar being installed onto the winding arrangement without contributing any additional height to the height of the motor. 
     
     
         4 . The motor of  claim 3 , wherein the busbar is disposed on a first side of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement that is closer to an inner surface of the stator core than an outer surface of the stator core. 
     
     
         5 . The motor of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one jumper of the busbar is disposed on a second side of the exposed portion of the winding that is closer to the outer surface of the stator core than the inner surface of the stator core. 
     
     
         6 . The motor of  claim 2 , wherein each of the windings is a hairpin winding segment comprising:
 first and second legs, each of the first and second legs having an in-slot portion that is inserted into one of the stator slots and an open end portion that is exposed outside of the stator core, the open end portion of the first and second legs being a first part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement; and   an endturn portion formed between the first and second legs, the endturn portion being a second part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement.   
     
     
         7 . The motor of  claim 6 , wherein,
 the endturn portion forms a V-shape with a top-most portion of the endturn forming a tip of the V-shape and a bottom-most portion of the endturn being connected to the first and second legs,   the busbar further comprising a busbar body that receives one or more ends of the at least one jumper and electrically connects the at least one jumper to other electrical components of the electric vehicle, and   the busbar is installed onto the winding arrangement without any part of the busbar body covering the first part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement formed by the open end portion of the first and second legs.   
     
     
         8 . The motor of  claim 7 , wherein the busbar is installed onto the winding arrangement without any part of the at least one jumper covering the first part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement formed by the open end portion of the first and second legs. 
     
     
         9 . The motor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the windings comprises a same first thickness, and the at least one jumper of the busbar has a second thickness that is identical to the first thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The motor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the windings comprises a same first thickness, and the at least one jumper of the busbar has a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The motor of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is an in-wheel motor for an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . A vehicle comprising:
 one or more road wheels configured to cause the vehicle to move;   a steering wheel configured to generate an input for controlling the one or more road wheels;   a brake assembly configured to operate a vehicle brake associated with the one or more road wheels; and   one or more motors operatively connected to one or more of the one or more road wheels, the steering wheel, and the brake assembly, at least one of the motors comprising:
 a stator assembly; and 
 a rotor assembly configured to be rotatable relative to the stator assembly, 
 wherein the stator assembly comprises:
 a stator core having stator slots; 
 a winding arrangement made up of windings, the winding arrangement comprising a non-exposed portion where a portion of the each of the windings is inserted within respective ones of the stator slots and an exposed portion where a top-most end of each of the windings extends outward from the stator core; and 
 a busbar comprising at least one jumper that electrically connects one or more of the windings to one another, the busbar being installed onto the winding arrangement without covering the top-most end of each of the windings. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the windings are arranged in a hairpin configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the exposed portion of the winding arrangement contributes to a height of the motor, and the busbar being installed onto the winding arrangement without contributing any additional height to the height of the motor. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the busbar is disposed on a first side of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement that is closer to an inner surface of the stator core than an outer surface of the stator core. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one jumper of the busbar is disposed on a second side of the exposed portion of the winding that is closer to the outer surface of the stator core than the inner surface of the stator core. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein each of the windings is a hairpin winding segment comprising:
 first and second legs, each of the first and second legs having an in-slot portion that is inserted into one of the stator slots and an open end portion that is exposed outside of the stator core, the open end portion of the first and second legs being a first part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement; and   an endturn portion formed between the first and second legs, the endturn portion being a second part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement.   
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein,
 the endturn portion forms a V-shape with a top-most portion of the endturn forming a tip of the V-shape and a bottom-most portion of the endturn being connected to the first and second legs,   the busbar further comprising a busbar body that receives one or more ends of the at least one jumper and electrically connects the at least one jumper to other electrical components of the electric vehicle, and   the busbar is installed onto the winding arrangement without any part of the busbar body covering the first part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement formed by the open end portion of the first and second legs.   
     
     
         19 . The vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein the busbar is installed onto the winding arrangement without any part of the at least one jumper covering the first part of the exposed portion of the winding arrangement formed by the open end portion of the first and second legs. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein each of the windings comprises a same first thickness, and the at least one jumper of the busbar has a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness.